Portable cleaner



"' A. w. HOLMES ET AL Nw. 13,y 1928 PORTABLE CLEANER' Filed Jul/1e 25,192s A TTORNEY5.

Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

ARTHUR w. noni/ins, or vnnnnnsnnne, nonnen HENRY B. COATS, OF.VEEDERSBRCL 4IND?ANA.

PORTABLE CLEANER.

Application filed June 25, 1926*.` Serial No. 118.468.'

rlhis invention relates to means for cleaning trays of crates or cagespositionedin parallel but separated relation.

The chief object of the invention consists in providing` a cleaner forthe trays of cages which is readily passable between parallel andseparated cages having exterior projecting feed troughs and with aminimum of clearance.

The chief feature of the invention consists in constructinfr thecleaning device such that it is readily passable between the separatedcages for cleaning the trays thereof and clear the projecting feedtroughs supported by said cages in the aisles resultant therebe tween.

rlhe full nature of the invention will be understood from theaccompanying drawings and the following description and claim.

ln the drawings Fig. l is an end elevational view of the cleanerpositioned in the aisle between two portable cages. Fig. 2 is a sideelevational view of the cleaner.

ln the drawings there is illustrated a pair of cages l() which areportable upon the supporting wheel means ll and which are divided intosuperposed compartments 12.

The cages l0 are of a character to receive chickens and the like. Incollection depots the chickens are brought in by the producers and aretransferred to the compartments l2 of the cages l() and held thereinuntil such time as they are to be shipped or dressed. During the holdingtime it is necessary that the chickens be fed and watered and `for thatpurpose the troughs 13 supported on the brackets let are provided.Tofacilitate the movement of the cages while in the holding relation thesame are made portable'as described, and when loaded or filled withchickens the several cages are arranged in` succession forming an aislebetween adjacent cages with the feeding and watering troughs projectinginto the aisle and in sliperposed relation as shown. ln order tocontinually use the cages without excessive cleaningand sterlizationcach `compartrnent is providedwith a tray indicated by the dotted lines5 in the several gures and said tray is of a character whereby it isreadily removed from the'cage l0 with the dbris and waste thereon and isreceivable by the cleaner for cleaning purposes. After being cleaned thetray is returned tothe cage in a cleaned and sterilized is thereuponready for use.

In establishments of the character de- JAQUES, 01' THORNTOWN, .AND

condition and the cage scribed, floor space is not always in abundw lance and therefore the aisles .between` the cages are reduced to aminimum. The cleaning devicev shown herein is of a character that it maypass down the aisle between ad- ]acent cages with lsutlicient clearanceand yet be of a size suflicient to accommodate and clean the trays, thewidth thereof being less than the aisle clearance but greater than theisle projecting feeding and water trough clearance. LOther features ofthe invention reside in the cleaner per se. ln the drawings 2O indicatesa relatively narrow cleaner body portion or compartment and upwardly andlaterally inclined portions 21 and sidewalls extending upwardly so as toform a wider portion as at 22. Thus, the side walls and inclinedportions forni the mouth of the hopper arrangement discharginginto thenarrow portion 20. The narrow portion 20 has one end closed by the endgate 23 having the handle 24 thereon and having the locking pins ortrunnions 25 and 26 cooperating with the ysupporting members 27 and 28,respectively. Suitable wheel means 30 provide for the portable characterof the cleaner. VSupported by the upper part of thc body portion are apair of frames 3l between mounted the tubular standard 32 in thebrackets 84. Said tubular standard terminates in a reel support 35carrying an electric cable 86, one end of which terminatos in aconnection plug 37 and the oppo* site end of which after passingthrough' the tubular standard 32 is extended as at 38 to the motoror'source of power 39. Tit-hin the wider portion a brush 410 extendssubstantially across from one sidey to the oppoi site side thereof andthe shaft il thereof is provided with wheel means associated with as at33 which is the endless driving belt 142 drivenV by the motor throughsuitable wheel means. Any type of preferred or desired drivingconnection may be provided. The brush i() is adapted to clean the trayil when` passed therebeneath and tl'irough the path of the bristles byengaging said tray when the tray support 42 is reciprocating to and frolongitudinally of the machine by means of the handles 43.

which is pivotally.

inc

In order t-o sterilize the tray either before and preferably also aftercleaning by the brush, there is provided a disinfectant con taining tank44 having the filling opening 45 therein and having the discharge line46 terminating in a nozzle 47 including a valve 48 and spray portion 49.Rigidly mounted by the disinfectant tank supportingfraniework is ar pumpor pressure device 50 having the rod 5l terminating in the handle 52.This may consist of the device such as a bicycle pump arrangement andserves to discharge disinfectant which may be liquid ammonia or the likefrom tank 44. In the cleaning operation brush 40 discharges the wastean-d dbrisr from the tray 4l into the bottom of the body where it iscollected. Thebody includes the inclined bottom 52 which is ofassistance in removingl said waste and ldbris through the closure 23. To'facilitate movement of the cleaning device the handles 54 are providedand as shown in Fig.

l, either handle is adapted to serve as a support for the sprayingnozzle of the disinfectant attachment. In order to insure operation andsecurity thereof, suitable means such as the tines 55 arel providedwhich are slidably supported in brackets 56 at the for.

ward end of the body andare connected by a transverse member 57 in turnconnected to the actuating member 58.

rllhis is elevated and lowered by a lever 59 pivotally supported at 60and arranged in such a manner that access is had to the opening 6l inthe end of the cleaning device to permit the tray minimum since the traycleaning portion is arranged to pass between superposed projectingtroughs. f

The invention claimed is:

A cleaning device for poultry crate pens and the like including a lowercompartment and above it a wider compartment, communicating therewithand with anopcning to receive the crate pans' to be cleaned, wheels forsupporting said lower compartment to renderv the device portable, andmeans mounted in said upper wider compart/ment for cleaning the cratepans when placed therein and discharging the waste into the lowercompartment. f In Witness whereof, We have hereunto afi fixed oursignatures.

ARTHUR W. HOLMES. DONALD E. JAQUES. HENRY B. CO'ATS.

